Penguin
by Prospereta
Summary: Like a soul-mate, he's your penguin. Baby, it's fate. Baby, it's fate, not luck.
1. Penguin

The idea first came up on the way to Rei's house for a "study session". That's what Rei had called it. The words made Nagisa laugh. Rei ran beside the shorter blonde, and Nagisa seemed to be enjoying himself. The two ran the last stretch to Rei's house often.

"Rei-chan, what do you think of the swimming club so far?" Nagisa pipes up, his voice soft and ragged from the slight chill cutting into his throat.

"It's alright, I enjoy watching Haruka-senpai swim."

"I told you his swimming was beautiful!"

"You did. Makoto-senpai's swimming is beautiful, too. He doesn't seem to move as gracefully as Haruka-senpai, though. He's stronger."

"Mako-chan helped me a lot with my swimming!" Nagisa smiles.

"You're a beautiful swimmer, too. Not as graceful or strong as Haruka-senpai and Makoto-senpai, but still beautiful, you know, in your own way." Rei looks straight ahead, his cheeks the slightest hint of red.

"Really?" Nagisa's eyes lighten up and he chuckles, breathless.

"Well, yes. You're free-spirited, it shows in your swimming." Rei says.

"Ah! Thank you, Rei-chan! Hey, maybe tomorrow we can practice late and I can help you learn to swim!"

"I'd like that, yes, thank you." Rei then goes silent for the rest of the run, the two boys' breathing synchronizing, chests rising and falling with each little tap of a foot against the ground. Nagisa peeks over through bright, blonde hair just in time to see Rei push up his glasses. He laughs. Rei raises an eyebrow and looks at the shorter male quizzically.

"I think you do that to hide!" Nagisa snickers.

"They feel weird when they slip!" Rei protests, face flushing. Nagisa slows to a walk when Rei does. They normally walked the last stretch.

"I bet you look nice without your glasses."

"You've seen me without my glasses."

"No! Having your goggles on doesn't count!" Nagisa complains. He swiftly reaches over and swipes Rei's glasses, the coos in admiration. "Rei-chan has beautiful eyes!"

"Hey!" He blushes brightly, hiding his face. "Stop that and give those back!"

"I'm satisfied, don't worry." He hands Rei the glasses, and the taller, blue-haired boy promptly slips them back on. They continue to walk in silence, Nagisa humming cheerfully and swinging his arms. Rei watches the first year, a gentle smile playing across his lips. When they near Rei's house, they pick up the pace again, and Nagisa cheers when he steps on the welcome mat.

"Rei-chan! I beat you!"

"Yes, yes. No need to rub it in." Rei unlocks the door, and Nagisa slips off his shoes, setting them aside before running upstairs and laying across Rei's bed. Rei calls after him, taking off his own shoes and shutting the door behind him. He runs up the stairs and sits down. "Are you ready to study?" He pushes up his glasses.

"Nooooo..." Nagisa whines, huffing

"You said you sucked at it. Let me help." He pulls a book off of one of his bookshelves, flipping it open.

"Ehhhh, fine." He sits up and looks over the book with Rei. After a while of explaining stupid theories and confusing equations, Nagisa groans. He pushes his book off of his lap, letting it hit the bed with a light _thud. _

"Rei-chan knows a lot! I should go home, though. It's getting late!" Rei nods.

"Right. I'll see you tomorrow, Nagisa-kun," the more logical of the two said, standing to lead him outside.

"Okay! Bye!" He gives the other boy a quick hug and then races off to catch the next train to his house.


	2. Beautiful

Nagisa shares his melon bread with Rei on the way to the train line. Rei comments on the nutritional value of it, saying they should start the day off with something a bit more filling. Nagisa just shrugs and gives him another piece.

"You're still gonna come to practice today, right?" The blonde asks. Rei nods and gives him a reassuring smile.

"As nervous as I am, I will be there."

"There's no need to be nervous, Rei-chan! Haru-chan, Mako-chan and Gou-chan said they'd be leaving at four, and the school can let us practice until five! Miss Ama-chan says she can stay inside and come get us when it's time to leave." Rei nods with the boy's words, nibbling idly at the bread. Nagisa stops at the vending machine to get them both a water, and then they settle down on the train. The shorter male makes himself comfortable against the blue-haired first year. It's nice like this. Calm, quiet, the distinctive rolling of the train across the tracks lulling them close. Rei gazes out the window, trying to ignore Nagisa's closeness.

"What'd you bring for lunch?" Rei finally speaks up. Nagisa shrugs.

"A piece of strawberry cake."

"Nagisa-kun..." Rei huffs. "You need to eat something better suited to your body structure and lifestyle. You can share my lunch with me today."

"Eh, I'm not gettin' sick or anything."

"Your metabolism will slow down one day."

"Oh, well." Nagisa rolls his eyes and chuckles. Rei was very considerate of his health sometimes.

The two don't run that day. The weather isn't very pretty and Nagisa is still tired, so the shorter boy sleeps against Rei. Rei reads a book while the train clacks against the tracks, brushing a bit of Nagisa's blonde hair out of his line of sight.

The two share notes that afternoon and Rei doesn't want to leave the classroom. Nagisa sets a small container on Rei's desk.

"You can have some of my cake, if you want." He smiles. Rei copies down the rest of his set of notes.

"That's alright. I brought my own lunch more suitable to my needs." He explains, packing up and making his way outside, to the roof.

"It's getting cold out! Are we gonna have to start eating inside soon?" Nagisa says as soon as they enter the cool air. Rei shrugs.

"Haruka-senpai doesn't seem to mind."

"Haru-chan is crazy, remember? He swam in the outdoor pool in April!"

"Whatever they decide." Rei sits down against the wall, opening his notes back up to study as he picks at his food. He doesn't feel hungry that day. Nagisa situates himself beside his blue-haired friend, eating his cake slowly and then standing to look over the wall at the world around them.

"It's beautiful, wouldn't you say, Rei-chan?" Nagisa smiles down at him. Rei stands, leaning against the wall as he watches the clouds roll by and the people shuffle below. He looks at Nagisa, the shorter first-year's hair haloed by soft sunlight, magenta eyes ablaze with a new kind of light. Nagisa always seems to have this glow in his eyes, excitement, happiness, this of those air seem to just radiate off of him. Rei found it absolutely _beautiful._ He wasn't even sure if that was the right word. The two stand in silence before Rei decides he's found the word to describe the sight.

"Yes, it's _stunning._"


End file.
